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Tue 10 May 2016 | 03:19
Fascinating Nigel Owens chat about respect, his attempted suicide and more

6
Comments

Welsh referee Nigel Owens stopped by the Ray D'Arcy Show in Ireland on Saturday, for what was an amusing yet moving discussion covering various facets of the 45-year-old's life. While his famed on-field antics were talked about, Owens didn't hold back in sharing details of his personal life.

Below is a short snippet from the show featuring some of his funnier moments, but in the full interview Owens talks a little bit about his rugby career, having refereed the 2015 Rugby World Cup final wearing his lucky pair of underwear, then opens up on his past troubles.

Owens is just one of two high profile stars of the sport that have openly spoken about their sexuality, and while life is good for the respected referee these days, it wasn't always like that.

Depression, steroid abuse and an attempted suicide are things that Owens dealt with years back, but his message today is that nomatter what you are going through, accepting who you are and talking about it is crucial if there is to be a path to happiness and contentment.

See more of Owens' best bits in the Related Posts below this

credit: RTE Ireland
Note: If the longer interview doesn't work for you, you can try this link

Posted By: Grant Constable

6 Comments

  • drg
    3:16 PM 12/05/2016

    ....kinda like Steve Walsh... :/

  • danknapp
    9:43 PM 11/05/2016

    I'm proud of the way that the rugby community seems to have realised before many of the round-ball gang that who you want to kiss and cuddle doesn't actually change other, vastly more important factors, such as eyesight, ability to blow a whistle, and not being Steve Walsh.

  • oldflyhalf
    5:53 PM 11/05/2016

    Mr. Nigel Owens, brilliant referee. Chapeau bas sir ! :)

  • drg
    1:57 PM 11/05/2016

    Yup, I'm with Dan here.

    Also it's a fantastic example of acceptance, especially when you consider the somewhat 'macho' image of 'the rugby player', yet they all listen to Owens and have on average, a huge amount of respect for him as an official.... and quite frankly, don't appear to give a shit about his sexual orientation.

    I suppose what I'm getting at is that if you can be seen in the public eye in the manliest of all sports, and no player or indeed fans, appear to call you names as a result, then you know you have a huge amount of support.

    Like it or not, referees are part of our game and I consider them as part of rugby as much as I consider new team mates I don't know...

  • danknapp
    9:26 AM 11/05/2016

    I disagree. I think it's important that we celebrate referees as people, and learn what makes them tick. In the same way that young people can look at star players and want to emulate them, I think it would be good if young people can look at referees in the same way.

    Owens is an absolutely sound role model. What better use of his status than to show young, closeted gay men that there is a life for them once they come out. There will have been young men with suicidal thoughts watching that interview, especially in still quite conservative Ireland, and it will have helped them immeasurably.

    In terms of the ref being a part of the game you don't notice, I think that went with the increased pressure of being mic'd up and televised. All of a sudden the referee IS a personality, whether they like it or not. Can't blame them for then making the most of it.

  • finedisregard
    12:47 AM 11/05/2016

    Don't get me wrong Owens is a fine referee but I believe referees should be anonymous.

    No tell all books, interviews, t shirts or highlight reels.

    A good ref is part of the game you don't notice like the ball or the goalposts. Did Paddy O'Brien, Andre Watson, or Ed Morrison do interviews?

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